Tag Archives: crab cakes

One of the reasons why I love Trader Joe’s is because they have delicious frozen items that can be combined with fresh foods to make a quick meal. I’m no Sandra Lee of Semi-Homemade Meals (or whatever it’s called) but on a weeknight I really like that cooking doesn’t take quite as long. I’ve got things to do!

Anyway, this meal here uses TJ’s Melodious Blend (how can you say no to a title like that?) which has green and red lentils, green garbanzo beans and tomatoes. Along with that I made a quick creamy coleslaw of some ingredients in the fridge (a little bit of a spicy lime dressing I had, some Caesar dressing and other seasonings) and diced some red and yellow tomatoes from the CSA box. I pan-fried some red onions from the box to give it a little crunch. And on top of all of this rested a Trader Joe’s crab cake, which comes two in a package and is very tasty!

I really, really, really liked the different flavors at work here, and the textures too. There were the fresh tomatoes, and lentils for some wholesome earthiness, creamy and crunchy lettuce, crabby-creamy cakes and the bite of onions. It took maybe 30 minutes tops and was one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time. Obviously, which is why I only have a half eaten dish to show you! (And I’m making that coleslaw again tonight!!)

The next day, while I was at the gym, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I’d loved this dinner. Since I’m also trying to eat healthier, I was going to have tuna for lunch. I thought that because I couldn’t have crab cakes I should just have tuna cakes instead. After my work out I hurried home and started constructing these little baby cakes. I used an egg yolk I had, some seasonings and I quickly processed a heel of garlic naan I toasted. Next time I’d use two yolks to hold them together even more because a couple of the cakes broke (but were still delicious!). I had a few more of those red and yellow tomatoes and SO MUCH BASIL from the CSA box so I decided to make a quick side salad.

The tuna cakes sat on a bed of cottage cheese that I seasoned very lightly with lime juice and salt. It really didn’t need anything extra, though. Around the tuna I arranged the tomatoes and drizzled a little olive oil.

Now, all this sounds normal and good. But the black plums you see are what elevated this dish for me. I picked up a few plums at the store recently, and I couldn’t get the image of their shining ruby colored flesh out of my mind. They stayed there like plump little jewels, making my mouth water with their sweet juiciness. I skinned one (which is fairly easy!) and quartered them. Unless they’re really unripe the pieces of plum will be a little messy, but you want them like that. More mess means more sweetness. Kind of like in life. The juices would also help make the dressing for this side dish. I tossed the plums in about two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar at the last moment, and arranged them around the tomatoes. I spooned the leftover vinegar over the plums and garnished everything with basil.

Past Posts This Month

Past Posts This Month

Who We Are

So are you to my thoughts as food to life,
Or as sweet-season'd showers are to the ground;
And for the peace of you I hold such strife
As 'twixt a miser and his wealth is found;
Now proud as an enjoyer and anon
Doubting the filching age will steal his treasure,
Now counting best to be with you alone,
Then better'd that the world may see my pleasure;
Sometime all full with feasting on your sight
And by and by clean starved for a look;
Possessing or pursuing no delight,
Save what is had or must from you be took.
Thus do I pine and surfeit day by day,
Or gluttoning on all, or all away.